VNA 13/11/2009 - French Prime Minister Francois Fillon expressed his country’s wish to further develop its traditional friendship and cooperation with Vietnam while meeting with Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai on Nov. 13 as part of his visit to Vietnam.

PM Fillon spoke about the untapped potential of the two countries, as well as similar viewpoints on sustainable development. He stated that French businesses considered Vietnam a destination for investment in environmental-friendly production projects.

He informed Hai that French businesses had the capacity to assist HCM City’s development, especially in urban infrastructure, transport, water management, energy and financial services.

He affirmed that the French Government would continue to encourage the business circle to invest in Vietnam. “We wish for Vietnam to become a gateway through which French businesses may enter Asia and for France to become Vietnam’s gateway to Europe,” he said.

PM Fillon also attached importance to non-governmental cooperation, as well as that directly between localities. Such cooperation has been focused on socio-economy, especially in education and language learning.

Hai stressed that cooperation projects and programmes between HCM City , Lyon city and the Rhone Alpes region have had a noticeable effect. He thanked France for its donation of 30 million EUR to the City Development Fund and affirmed that the money has been being effectively used to improve local people’s living conditions, especially the poor.

The city’s Party official hailed French investors for participating in projects to develop HCM City ’s infrastructure and transport.

He asked the French Government to facilitate cooperation projects between HCM City and French localities and said that the city will give priority to construction of a French school for children of the French community in the city in District 3.

The same day, the French PM visited a resettlement project in District 10 and the Institute for Cultural Exchange with France./.